Deflector for gravity-conveyers.



M. C. SCHWAB. DEPLBGTOR PoR GRAVITY ooNvEYBRs.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1009.

1,072,175. Patented sept.z,1913.

73 70 2 SHEETS-sum1. lfgfl, WV mi; i

'fl/l//lll//l/Yl/A f6 u. /9 *Ll-l 2z u r@ a I 0 I "U 0 4kr{ll/a//l/l/l/l/l/ g JJ.

nmlmV/l Tl 1mm 11M M By VQ@ Arm/mfr COLUMBIA PLANoaRAl-n co..wAsmNn'rnN. n. c.

M. C. SCHWAB.

DEI'LEGTOR FOR GRAVITY GONVEYBRSA APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1909.1,072,1 75. Patented sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A4, W l wz; WCZZM/ A TTUHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN C. SCHWAB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GRAVITY CONVEYORCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DEFLECTOR FOR GRAVITY-CONVEYERS.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN C. SCHWAB, acitizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful In'iprovement inDetlectors for Gravity- Conveyers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in gravity conveyers, and moreparticularly to gravity conveyers of the spiral type.

One object of my invention is to provide a conveyer with an inletopening and an outlet opening at each floor, and arranged to perniitboth of these openings to be 1n use at the same time.

A further object is the provision of a switching device for preventinginterfer ence between the simultaneous operation of the inlet and outletopenings at any one l'loor.

Other objects will appear hereinafter, the novel combinations ofelements being set forth in the claim hereunto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in front elevation awell known type of gravity conveyer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is asectional plan View of Fig. 1 taken approximately on the line La.

Similar characters of reference denote similar parts in both figures.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a spiral gravity conveyercomprising an outer shell or casing 11 and an inner central core 13,between which is arranged a spiral conveying surface or blade 12. Theconveyer may be arranged to connect all of the floors of a building sothat articles may be placed into the conveyer at any particular floorand be delivered automatically at any one ot' the floors below. The d'awing shows but two floors 20 and 30, the novel features of myinvention being shown near the floor 20.

21 designates an outlet opening which may be spirally arranged, and thelower edge of which is preferably made flush with the surface of theconveyor' blade 12. This opening may be of any suitable dimensions, andthere may be one at each floor when the eonveyer extends through aplurality of floors or landings. Arranged to fully cover the outletopening 21 and corresponding in Shape thereto, is a door 14, the ends ofSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 28, 1909.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

serial No. 510,059.

which are provided with bearings so that the door may be mounted toslide up and down on the vertical fixed rods 17, 17. A handle 15 issecured to the door for convenience in lifting or lowering the saine,and a hook 1G pivoted to the conveyor casing 11 is arranged to hold thedoor in its open posi tion by engaging a pin 16 thereon. If desired, thedoor may be arranged to swing open, in which case suitable fasteningmeans may be provided to retain the door in open or closed position. Insome cases it may be desirable to provide a chute for the outlet opening21 so that articles being discharged from this opening could be conveyedto any desired place. This chute, designated by 27, is shown in Fig. 2in broken lilies, the same being omitted from Fig. 1 in order to avoidconfusion.

22 designates an inlet opening arranged farther around on thecircumference of the conveyor, and this opening, like the dischargeopening 21, is preferably made spiral in form, although the same couldbe of other shape, such as square or rectangular. The lower edge of theinlet opening 22 is preferably arranged somewhat above the spiral blade12, although other arrangements of this opening with respect to thespiral may be used if so desired. A door 23 is hinged at 2li to theconveyor casing and covers the opening 22 when in closed position. Abutton 2G is adapted to hold the door closed. This door 23 may bearranged to slide like the door lll, suitable means being provided tohold it in open or closed position. A chute (not shown) may be providedfor the opening 22 if desired, to facilitate the directing of articlesinto the conveyer.

Between the openings 21 and 22 is a switching device or dellector 25which is hinged to the inside of the conveyor casing 11 by means ofhinges 2S. This dellector is preferably hinged as close to the outletopening 21 as possible and is curved in form, its radius of curvaturebeing substantially the same as that of the conveyer casing, so thatwhen it is not in use it may be swung about its hinges close up againstthe inner surface of t-he eonveyer casing, as indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 2. The dellector 25 is preferably the same height as the outletopening 21, and it should be of sufficient length to extend from thecasing 11 to the central core 13 when in operative position as shown. YA lever 19 is secured to the deflector 25 and extends outwardly througha slot 18 in the convey-er casing, said lever being for the purpose ofmanually swinging the deflector 25 into or out of operative position.

36 designates a catch which is pivoted to the outside of the conveyercasing and is adapted to lock the deflector in operative position byengaging the lever 19. A stop 29 may be arranged on the inner centralcore 13 to limit the movement of the deiiector when the latter is movedinto operative position.

In order to operate the conveyer so that articles from a floor above maybe discharged at the outlet opening 21 at the same time that otherarticles are being inserted into the conveyer opening 22 for delivery ata floor below, the doors 14 and 23 are rst opened and the deflector 25is moved by means of the lever 19 into operative position as shown onthe drawing, and locked in this position by means of the catch 36. It isevident that articles descending from a floor above the opening 21 willbe thrown by centrifugal force out of the conveyer at the opening` 2l,the deflector acting as a switch or barrier to prevent articles fromcontinuing on down the spiral conveying surface. While articles are thusbeing discharged at the outlet 21, other articles may be inserted intothe conveyer through the inlet opening 22. 'Ihence they will descend bygravity to an outlet opening in the conveyer at some floor lower down,or they may continue on down to the lowermost or basement landing. YVhile the illustration shows my invention applied to a conveyer only atone iioor, it is to be understood that all of the floors of a buildingintermediate the top floor and the basement may be likewise providedwith both an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and with switchingmeans located between each pair of openings as above described.

VIt is readily seen that my invention greatly increases the capacity andusefulness of any conveyer to which it may be applied. Articles such aspackages or bundles may be inserted at any iioor for delivery at anyiioor below, while at the same time other articles may be placed in theconveyer at the latter floor for delivery at some other ioor lower down.

Obviously various changes in the construction and arrangement of partsherein disclosed may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

`What I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent ofthe United Statesis:

In a gravity conveyer, the combination with a. member having a conveyingsurface, of a casing therefor provided with a discharge opening, a doorfor s ald opening, a deflector plate hinged within the casing, means formoving said plate into and out of operative position, and means forlocking it in operative position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speeification'in thepresence of `two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN C. SCHWAB. lVitnesses z E. V. STACK,

C. I). SCHROEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

